Bits and Bites at SF Chefs 2012

SF Chefs is one of the biggest food events if not the biggest in the bay area. If you are a foodie, you were definitely in one of the SF Chef's tasting event. Everybody in the food industry was there during the week.  It was week full of tastings, classes, parties and after parties. Marcus Samuelson was even there which sucks because I missed him during the event!  I'm honored to be part of this event. I helped out on Friday night, went to the grand tasting on Saturday night and checked out the Eater Chef final battle on Sunday. It was definitely an amazing culinary experience.

SF Chefs is a celebration of food and bay area's top food talents mixed with panels, interviews, lectures, demos, booze and the most delicious bites SF has to offer. I have to say the food in this event is just extraordinary. There were some liquid nitrogen involved, sous vide preparations and unexpected flavor combinations. You would really expect something great especially if the Michael Mina group, Tyler Florence, Chris Consentino and many more are the ones preparing your food.

Here are the food shots from last Saturday's tasting event.

Artichoke custard with preserved lemon, apple and caviar

Beans and tomato salad with buttermilk dressing from American Box

Braised Lamb shoulder Agnolotti from Kuleto's

Eggplant Caponatina with Burrata from Delarosa

Korean mint white chocolate ganache cookie sandwich and a Gin,sake, melon Yuzu cocktail drink

Salmon Pops

Oyster Vichyssoise with smoked potatoes and creme fraiche from Farallon

Tout Patisserie

Chocolate cream and chocolate cake from Tout

Citrus-Vanilla Panna Cotta with Campari citrus gelee

Escalivada Terrine from Thirsty Bear

From Pacific Catch

Corn, Padron Pepper, Manchego from Contigo

Mark Dommen

Crab cakes with saffron aioli

Heirloom tomato tartar from Chez TJ

Tostada de Camaron from Tres

Wagyu Tartare

Truffled tuna tartare from Alexander's Steakhouse

Chive pancake with housemade sriracha

White Miso fudge with Black Sesame and Green Tea Marshmallow from Morimoto

From Claudine

Prosciutto and Fig from Locanda

Bay shrimp ceviche from Fifth floor

Betelnuts Tuna tartare

Heirloom tomato crostino confit from Chef Chris Consentino

Chris Consentino

There were a lot of seafood dishes that night. My favorites were the crab cake from One Market and the truffled Tuna from Alexander's. Pacific Catch's Salmon Poke was very tasty as well. Ecopia Farms' cookie and gin sake drink were amazing. I can eat a dozen of those! :) The Korean mint and white chocolate is just perfect with the cocktail. Best presentation was definitely from Alexander's Steakhouse. The truffled tuna tartare was inside a sphere, similar to those toys you get using your quarters.

Another reason why this event is a big deal is because of all the celebrity chefs present. Joanne Weir, Hubert Keller, Fabio from Top chef, Jeffrey Saad and many more were there. This time, I only got a pic from Chris Consentino and Hoss Zare.

Hossy Hugs

Top Chef Master contender Chris Consentino

Let's go to Sunday's Eater Chef challenge where Mark Dommen of One Market was paired with David Bazirgan against Brandon Jew of Bar Agricole and Staffan Terje of Perbacco. This was like watching an Iron Chef challenge with SF Chefs. The challenge was to use spices and Pork on their dishes. The outcome = Foie Gras powder, pancakes, some shabu shabu style dish and amazing spice combinations. Although, I just stared at those dishes since only the judges were the ones eating. It was truly a fun way to spend my Sunday morning. The winner for this challenge was team David and Mark with their inventive pork dishes and probably that Foie Gras creation.

The set up



Good times



Porky Porky

spices c/o Anjan Mitra of Dosa

Fresh chickpeas

food is served

Brandon Jew's dish

David Barzigan's ice cream dish

Stefan's dish

Mark Dommen's dish

I want their job

Final dishes

This year was definitely bigger and it will just get better and better. I love every single thing about it. From the Michael Bauer talk, Illy's coffee cook off, celebrity chefs to non stop food, wine and cocktails. Can't wait to taste what next year has to offer.